[The sheer simplicity of that statement causes Wade to blink in surprise, and it isn't helped by Fenris's elaboration moments later. One hand comes up to awkwardly squeeze the back of his neck as he huffs out an altogether bashful laugh.]
[Wade finds himself cocking his head in genuine puzzlement.]
Well... yeah? I mean, what else was I supposed to do, be a dick about it? Seems like you don't wanna talk about it, so that's the end of that. No sense in bringing the mood down just to satisfy my curiosity, y'know? I keep my cards close to the chest too sometimes.
[He rolls one shoulder in a shrug.]
No big deal. I'll probably have forgotten I asked by the time we're done here.
[ Fenris returns the genuine puzzlement with more genuine puzzlement. ]
Then I've misjudged you.
[ Reminds him of someone, actually. A little bit. Still, different enough that Fenris is still taken aback. He seems content to let the conversation end there, falling into silence, but after a bit he speaks up again. ]
I've always looked at conversation as a potential trap. Watch your step, look over your shoulder, listen for trouble. Say the wrong thing and someone has you backed into a corner.
[That doesn't really surprise Wade. Fenris had always struck him as the type of person to choose his words carefully, to speak as succinctly as possible and not to give anything away. He shrugs again, the most noncommittal response he can think of, but that doesn't seem like enough.]
I'm probably not the guy to talk to about what's normal, but... honestly that sounds like a really sad way to live, from where I'm sitting. I mean, I'm obviously biased-- you know me, no filter. I just say whatever pops into my head, consequences be damned. Have for years. My parents used to say I was vaccinated with a phonograph needle-- uh. A phonograph's a type of, like... machine that plays music, I guess is the best way to put it? And a vaccine is... y'know what? Forget it. Explaining it ruins the joke. Um.
[Mercifully the noodle chef cuts his stumbling diatribe short by serving them their food. Wade utters a tiny breathless "ohthankGOD" before he sweeps up his chopsticks effortlessly and begins stirring his bowl.]
Bon appetit, Fen. This's pretty much the only way to get me to shut my gob at least for a few seconds. Try to enjoy it as much as possible.
[ Despite not knowing what Wade is even saying, Fenris still appears to be paying attention, even as he explains the overly complicated joke. He still doesn't fully get it, but that's fine. The chef sets their bowls in front of them, and Fenris gives a small thanks and a nod. ]
Noted.
[ It's a teasing reply, but there's something that lacks the usual bite. Softer than it is dry. For whatever reason, Wade seems nervous. He's not sure why exactly...something about the turn in this conversation, he supposes.
He picks up his chopsticks, stirring his bowl as he finally lets his gaze shift from Wade to his food. Fenris gives Wade mercy by shifting the subject back to the food, though he has filed away some mental notes in his head. ]
...This is better than whatever it was I ate before.
[ As the chef returns to what he was doing before, he mutters something along the lines of, "that's because it's not a cheap gimmick", seemingly aware of the place Fenris had been talking about despite not giving any information about it. Seems like there's a rivalry going on there. It wasn't too far from here, after all. ]
[Wade huffs out another laugh at Fenris's teasing remark, pretending to find something very interesting in his bowl so that he doesn't have to look at his dinner partner. A snide comment from his childhood suddenly bubbles to the surface-- y'know, Wade, you don't always have to spill your guts out of your mouth-- before he quiets it with a heaping mouthful of spicy ramen. Waiver-signingly hot, just the way he likes it. He can already feel his face flush from the heat and revels in the pain as he chews.
Fenris's comment catches him by surprise, and he jerks his head up to look at him, mouth unfortunately still laden with noodles that dangle out of his mouth and give him the appearance of some sort of red-faced, pasta-based cephalopod.]
[ Fenris doesn't even realize that Wade was sitting over there going through something with his spicy noodles, slurping up his own with a practiced experience - he really only needed to learn once. When he hears Wade, he glances over, immediately caught off guard by the sight before him.
It's so utterly ridiculous that his furrowed brows and impending eye roll are quickly overtaken by a laugh he tries very hard to bite back, and instead it comes out more like a giggle. ]
HA! [Okay, so it comes out more like "HUPH!" but the accompanying point of Wade's finger at Fenris should drive the sentiment home all the same. With help from his chopsticks, Wade stuffs the dangling ramen into his mouth, chews vigorously and swallows, wincing as the spices go burning down his throat. He'll pay for eating those too fast later, but for now he's reveling in his victory.]
That was totally a laugh just now, I heard it! No walkin' back on that one, sir! I knew I'd get one of those outta you sooner or later!
[ Fenris hides that creeping smile by slurping up some more noodles, feeling his face heat up from what he assumes to be the spices. The spices and only the spices. ]
Doesn't matter, still counts! I gotcha to laugh, so I'm takin' it as a win!
[There's nothing in his expression or voice to indicate he's being anything but genuine. Grinning like a satyr, he takes another mouthful of his noodles, his smile turning slightly pained as the spices hit. Maybe he was a bit too adventurous with his order. Hopefully this won't cause a blowout in the near future.
Wade takes a sip of his drink before addressing Fenris again.]
Seriously though, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. There were a few times tonight where I was worried I was gratin' on you. I tend to have that effect on people.
[ Fenris is caught of guard with just how much pleasure a laugh seemed to get out of Wade - sure, others went out of their way to hear one from him before, but only to see if it were possible (it is...only in actually humorous company). He never understood the fascination with his demeanor. But Wade...Wade seems to legitimately enjoy it.
It's weird. Wade is weird. ]
Y- [ It's instinctual for him to say something snippy in return, even if jokingly, but he stops himself, sighing as he feels the need to be genuine. Troublesome. ] Yes, well...I'm as surprised as you are.
[ That came out wrong, but he makes no move to correct himself lest he just make it worse. Ugh. ]
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2022-12-31 02:17 am (UTC)Uh... different in a good way, I hope?
no subject
Date: 2022-12-31 02:47 am (UTC)Perhaps.
[ Sorry, Wade. He's bad at this, in case it hasn't been blatantly made clear by now. ]
When I give you an answer to a question you just...accept it.
no subject
Date: 2023-01-06 02:06 am (UTC)Well... yeah? I mean, what else was I supposed to do, be a dick about it? Seems like you don't wanna talk about it, so that's the end of that. No sense in bringing the mood down just to satisfy my curiosity, y'know? I keep my cards close to the chest too sometimes.
[He rolls one shoulder in a shrug.]
No big deal. I'll probably have forgotten I asked by the time we're done here.
[A soft, self-deprecating chuckle.]
no subject
Date: 2023-01-14 05:02 am (UTC)Then I've misjudged you.
[ Reminds him of someone, actually. A little bit. Still, different enough that Fenris is still taken aback. He seems content to let the conversation end there, falling into silence, but after a bit he speaks up again. ]
I've always looked at conversation as a potential trap. Watch your step, look over your shoulder, listen for trouble. Say the wrong thing and someone has you backed into a corner.
Perhaps that isn't normal after all.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-21 05:52 pm (UTC)I'm probably not the guy to talk to about what's normal, but... honestly that sounds like a really sad way to live, from where I'm sitting. I mean, I'm obviously biased-- you know me, no filter. I just say whatever pops into my head, consequences be damned. Have for years. My parents used to say I was vaccinated with a phonograph needle-- uh. A phonograph's a type of, like... machine that plays music, I guess is the best way to put it? And a vaccine is... y'know what? Forget it. Explaining it ruins the joke. Um.
[Mercifully the noodle chef cuts his stumbling diatribe short by serving them their food. Wade utters a tiny breathless "ohthankGOD" before he sweeps up his chopsticks effortlessly and begins stirring his bowl.]
Bon appetit, Fen. This's pretty much the only way to get me to shut my gob at least for a few seconds. Try to enjoy it as much as possible.
[An awkward, self-deprecating laugh.]
no subject
Date: 2024-05-21 06:08 pm (UTC)Noted.
[ It's a teasing reply, but there's something that lacks the usual bite. Softer than it is dry. For whatever reason, Wade seems nervous. He's not sure why exactly...something about the turn in this conversation, he supposes.
He picks up his chopsticks, stirring his bowl as he finally lets his gaze shift from Wade to his food. Fenris gives Wade mercy by shifting the subject back to the food, though he has filed away some mental notes in his head. ]
...This is better than whatever it was I ate before.
[ As the chef returns to what he was doing before, he mutters something along the lines of, "that's because it's not a cheap gimmick", seemingly aware of the place Fenris had been talking about despite not giving any information about it. Seems like there's a rivalry going on there. It wasn't too far from here, after all. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-05-21 06:18 pm (UTC)Fenris's comment catches him by surprise, and he jerks his head up to look at him, mouth unfortunately still laden with noodles that dangle out of his mouth and give him the appearance of some sort of red-faced, pasta-based cephalopod.]
Mph?
no subject
Date: 2024-05-21 08:41 pm (UTC)It's so utterly ridiculous that his furrowed brows and impending eye roll are quickly overtaken by a laugh he tries very hard to bite back, and instead it comes out more like a giggle. ]
You're an idiot.
no subject
Date: 2024-05-21 08:48 pm (UTC)That was totally a laugh just now, I heard it! No walkin' back on that one, sir! I knew I'd get one of those outta you sooner or later!
no subject
Date: 2024-08-02 11:29 pm (UTC)[ Fenris hides that creeping smile by slurping up some more noodles, feeling his face heat up from what he assumes to be the spices. The spices and only the spices. ]
no subject
Date: 2024-08-08 10:46 pm (UTC)[There's nothing in his expression or voice to indicate he's being anything but genuine. Grinning like a satyr, he takes another mouthful of his noodles, his smile turning slightly pained as the spices hit. Maybe he was a bit too adventurous with his order. Hopefully this won't cause a blowout in the near future.
Wade takes a sip of his drink before addressing Fenris again.]
Seriously though, I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. There were a few times tonight where I was worried I was gratin' on you. I tend to have that effect on people.
no subject
Date: 2024-09-09 04:20 pm (UTC)It's weird. Wade is weird. ]
Y- [ It's instinctual for him to say something snippy in return, even if jokingly, but he stops himself, sighing as he feels the need to be genuine. Troublesome. ] Yes, well...I'm as surprised as you are.
[ That came out wrong, but he makes no move to correct himself lest he just make it worse. Ugh. ]